Back to our little piece of nowhere!

[DubbsFaris]

A couple pics from Big Bend on this trip! :happy feet:

 

Here is a picture of the Chisos Basin Big Bend Park as seen from the NorthEast

 

 

Here is another angle from the North entrance road, Hwy 385

 

 

This is a view of the Eastern Mexico canyon some 50 miles away

 

 

The two canyon sides here are carved out of the flowing Rio Grande, at the base of the canyon to the right is where Terlingua Creek enters the Rio Grande

 

 

I thought this might be a good road to run our cars down in the park, it is called Maverick Road.

 

[Blip]

Those are fantastic photos and will make good background ref shots for future Terlingua related CAR-toons!

(I've got plans just need more time to draw.)

[check6]

Great pics Warren! That would be cool cartoons Blip!

[moabman]

Great pictures Dubs!

 

Wish I was there.....

 

Hey, those don't look like Shelby parts in the lower left of the photograph of the new (Maverick?) road

[sportscars]

too easy - latitude and longitude of Terlingua

 

 

Grrrrrr! HAHAHAHA! Mark beat me to it!

 

 

Hey that's my house!

 

VB

 

 

Three strikes and your all out! Try again!

 

I guess its a good thing I didnt make it hard.

[dh777]

29.262534,-103.776888 That is right outside my room! Actually I was on the the other side closer to the pool.

[dh777]

 

 

I thought this might be a good road to run our cars down in the park, it is called Maverick Road.

 

 

 

A good road for a new paving job?

[moabman]

OK smarty pants , It's in Lajitas on the south side of the highway in a parking lot. Knowing this group, there must be a beer joint nearby.

 

However, if you're getting this off of Google Earth, you have to remember that the Lat Longs are not exactly accurate and can be almost 5 minutes off. Don't believe me? Go to the Prime Meridian on Flamstead Hill in Greenwich England and see what it reads for the longitude.

 

Despite all that, I wish I was in the Big Bend right now. :happy feet:

[DubbsFaris]

Yeah, but 5 minutes in that area is more like 2 at the speeds we drive....

[dh777]

Yeah, but 5 minutes in that area is more like 2 at the speeds we drive....

 

 

A lot of people get pulled over - but only one gets a ticket. Just because he wasn't in a Shelby!!

[sportscars]

Yea, we worked it that way with the Sheriff. We told him he could have all the non-Shelbys he could ticket.

 

Moral of that is: Dont bring a Nissan to a Shelby event.

[VorpalBunny]

OK smarty pants , It's in Lajitas on the south side of the highway in a parking lot. Knowing this group, there must be a beer joint nearby.

 

However, if you're getting this off of Google Earth, you have to remember that the Lat Longs are not exactly accurate and can be almost 5 minutes off. Don't believe me? Go to the Prime Meridian on Flamstead Hill in Greenwich England and see what it reads for the longitude.

 

Despite all that, I wish I was in the Big Bend right now. :happy feet:

 

 

Yep, its a fun area, yep there is indeed a beer Joint nearby The Drunken Goat its called named after the former Mayor of Lajitas, Clay Nenry who was indeed a drunken Goat! rest in peace Mayor Henry.

 

http://www.lajitas.com/mayor.html okay so I knew in the hey Mayor how ya doin sense want a beer Clay 1, Clay 2 and Clay 3...

 

So, if its off 5 minutes then I was right it is my house!!! :happy feet:

 

Too funny you'all hope to see you here soon! We can tour the roads and the beer joints!

 

 

VB

[moabman]

I always look forward to getting my 2 copies of the Paisano each year. I really haven't spent much time in Lajitas so I'm hoping we won't be having a get together there soon.

[sportscars]

Is October soon?

 

I know this, October is too damn far off for me!

 

 

I'll see if I can find something else interesting to post about Terlingua/Big Bend/Lajitas later tonight.

[Blip]

If I remember correctly from my "government " service days--GPS for civilian use has a built in 6-10 meter error.

 

A goat mayor of Terlingua....

 

....now that does give me a toon idea. :D

[Frank S]

If I remember correctly from my "government " service days--GPS for civilian use has a built in 6-10 meter error.

 

A goat mayor of Terlingua....

 

....now that does give me a toon idea. :D

 

 

Someone should tell the tale about how Panther Junction got its name; that would be 'toon material for certain.

[VorpalBunny]

Someone should tell the tale about how Panther Junction got its name; that would be 'toon material for certain.

 

 

Hey Frank,

 

Good idea wish I knew. My office and weekday house is at Panther Junction aka Park Headquarters. Weekends and some week days we slide on over to the Terlingua house which I own not the gov't. Short slide as the crow flies about 14 miles. The gov owns the Panther Junction place - condition of park employment. Anyway, I am also the info person for the park and still cannot recall a story around the name of Panther Junction. We do see Panthers here and I always assumed that was why.

 

I saw a Panther on April 8th a few weeks back north of Panther Junction on the way to the airport - 5 hours from here to ELP - so left early in the morning yawn. Big cat too. The we, Reine and I saw a bobcat 3 minutes later that morning - must been raining cats...

 

Perhaps Blip can do a toon of a Bunny going one way and a Panther the other? Both cruizin! Fear the Bunny and watch out for the Panthers here too!

 

Spent the day today in Terlingua at the house by the way - a number of Forum folks have been out there for BBQ and a view. You'all are always welcome.

 

 

 

 

VB

[check6]

 

Spent the day today in Terlingua at the house by the way - a number of Forum folks have been out there for BBQ and a view. You'all are always welcome.

 

VB

 

 

Hey David! I'd love to make the trip, so thanks for the invite :happy feet: But, it's a long haul from here, so perhaps in the future event...hope, hope

 

Your and Franks ideas for a Blip toon are great!

[VorpalBunny]

Hey David! I'd love to make the trip, so thanks for the invite :happy feet: But, it's a long haul from here, so perhaps in the future event...hope, hope

 

Your and Franks ideas for a Blip toon are great!

 

 

Hey Leann,

 

You are most welcome we had quite a crowd on Sunday last year at our Terlingua place and hope to again this year!

 

So, I asked my wife about the name Panther Junction as she collects trivia and she said well maybe its because its located underneath Panther Peak. Now why didn't I think of that

 

VB

[Frank S]

Hey Leann,

 

You are most welcome we had quite a crowd on Sunday last year at our Terlingua place and hope to again this year!

 

So, I asked my wife about the name Panther Junction as she collects trivia and she said well maybe its because its located underneath Panther Peak. Now why didn't I think of that

 

VB

 

 

I've seen some photos of your Terlingua "spread" (does anyone write - or read - Westerns any more?) and it surely looks inviting.

 

As for the name "Panther Junction", I read Blair Pittman's 1997 Tales From The Terlinga Porch, stories about local folks and events purportedly collected from sessions of discussion that took place on the fabled porch at the Terlingua Trading Company. I can't believe I have misfiled my copy of that treasured tome; one benefit: in looking for another example (no luck!) I see there has been a Volume 2 produced, 2009. I got my first copy during the 2008 Terlingua episode, when we stopped for a bowl of chili at the Chili Restaurant down the hill from the Trading Company. They told me that "Maybe Blair is up there at the porch, and if he is, he'll autograph it for you!" Turned out no, he wasn't there, but it looks to me as if every copy of the book is autographed.

 

Any road, I'll write what I remember about the naming of Panther Junction. The original was several pages long; I'll be shorter than that, by necessity.

 

Seems as if there were enough families with children in Big Bend that they built a school and hired a teacher, long distance. This was in horse-and-buggy days, or just after the advent of the automobile, according to my memory of the story. The teacher came from New England by train, and a representative of the community met her at Marathon (or similar). Their trip to Big Bend was uneventful until just before dark, when they came across a pride of panthers, a dozen or more females and one male. all lying in the road, and thoroughly blocking passage.

 

It seems the male was servicing the females and none was budging an inch. The male moved from one to another of the females, taking the occasional break, and the process took several hours, teacher and welcoming delegate waiting patiently while the male finished his duty. Once everyone had been taken care of - well after dark - the pride arose and moseyed off into the night. All this apparently took place at or near the current location of the present-day "Panther Junction". At least that's how I remember it.

 

I think Pittman may be available for story-telling; his books will surely be on sale at the Trading Company. Ten bucks a pop, more or less, and every story more interesting and exciting than the one before, and much more entertainingly told than my poor effort.

 

Looks as if he might be a neighbor of yours:

http://www.bigbendsentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1456&Itemid=38

[Frank S]

Following up on (the Pittman wedding story in) the Big Bend Sentinel, I looked at the newspaper's online archives and found an October 2009 story on the Marfa Shelby exhibition:

 

Cool Things

 

Shelby car show set for Marfa

 

MARFA - A free car show of Shelby Mustangs and Ford GT40’s and a GTX1 will be open to the public on October 10.

 

The show is an opportunity to view the cars and talk with the owners from 12:30 – 2:30pm.

 

Cars will be parked and available for viewing in front of the Presidio County Courthouse downtown Marfa.

 

For more information, contact the Marfa Chamber of Commerce: 729.4942.

 

 

That's it for October 2009; no photos, nothing in the November issues.

 

 

Another bit of trivia:

When I read up on Marfa after the non-event, I noted from Wiki's article that just days prior to our arrival, the Marfa police force (three strong!) had been disbanded, and its duties assumed by the Sheriff. That circumstance is verified by a story in The Sentinel for October 2009.

 

One of the Shelbys showing off at the Courthouse was "Local", a proudly-owned SGT in Vista Blue. The owner, Henry, told me he was in Marfa to visit his brother, to whom he introduced me. You may have noticed his brother viewing the cars and then directing traffic as the Shelby column made its left turn at the highway to Alpine, just before the congregation on the hill waved good-bye. Henry's brother is the Sheriff who, with his three deputies, took over from the Marfa police.

 

A little more research suggests that Henry's brother is not the only Sheriff in the family: Henry might just be Sheriff in another Texas town a couple hundred miles toward Houston. Henry shows up in at least one of my photos from Marfa. I have a picture of the Sheriff directing traffic, but it isn't much good, just a wide-angle with a not-recognizable figure in the distance.

 

Amazing what you can learn if you look around, and how much you miss if you don't, eh?

 

This tale is not From The Porch, but it might have been ...

[VorpalBunny]

Hey Frank,

 

Your the best thanks for looking up the record. I have read and have both of Blair's books. They are wonderful books. Blair is indeed a neighbor and friend and a good fellow often found at the porch. In fact, if you look at the photos of Terlingua 2008 one shows Carroll and Bill N and Bud and others at the porch and blair is in the background of that photo.

 

Anyway, I cnanot verify the lion part of the Panther Junction story, but yes in the old days people and teachers were often picked up at the Marathon train station to start their journey down south towards employment here in the Big Bend. So that at least is quite possible.

 

The Marfa 2009 car show as I recall you were at and should have good photos. The car show advertisement I did and was a nice inviting poster style advertisement open to anyone who wished to come out and enjoy. I thought they did have followup photos...

 

The food was great that day in Marfa - great local catered BBQ!!

 

My Terlingua spread has quite a view as many can attest to and all TS members are welcome and invited to come out just say the word.

 

Any get together in Terlingua is always fun and memorable. Including 2009 and the local law enforcement cleared the downtown road beautifully for the Shelby car parade to come on thru.

 

VB

[DubbsFaris]

BTW- Sitting under a white buffalo head in the Gage bar, aptly named the white buffalo, a local told me a story of the owner of Lajitas walking into a bar, borrowing money for a beer from a cowboy, and when the cowboy abliged and bought Mr. Smith a beer, Smith fed it to the goat. The cowboy was so furious, he later cut the balls off that goat, killing the last mayor of Lajitas. I would call BS, but apparently, the Sheriff of Brewster Cty keeps said balls in his freezer, and will share the story if asked. :poke Vorpal:

[sportscars]

The "Smith" Warren refers to is Steve Smith, a sucsessful business man from Austin Texas. He bought the "town" of Lajitas in 2000 at an auction for $4.2 million. He then proceded to sink over $100 million into the resort. He marketed it as the "ultimate hideout" for the ultra rich. Didnt go over too well with the locals from what I hear. Smith ended up filing for bankruptcy and the resort was sold to Kelcy Warren in 2007 for about $13.5 million. I believe Mr. Warren (from Dallas I think) still owns it today.

 

Next lesson: The Bonilla bypass and Lajitas....

[kahmann]

Marfa's answer to Craigslist

http://www.marfalist.org/phpbb/index.php

[VorpalBunny]

BTW- Sitting under a white buffalo head in the Gage bar, aptly named the white buffalo, a local told me a story of the owner of Lajitas walking into a bar, borrowing money for a beer from a cowboy, and when the cowboy abliged and bought Mr. Smith a beer, Smith fed it to the goat. The cowboy was so furious, he later cut the balls off that goat, killing the last mayor of Lajitas. I would call BS, but apparently, the Sheriff of Brewster Cty keeps said balls in his freezer, and will share the story if asked. :poke Vorpal:

 

 

Okay, I know when I am being poked LOL.

 

Yes, Clay Henry 3 was the unfortnaute victim of said crime that is fact. I do not know about the rest if that is true or not - could be - just cannot verify. But yes the mayor was the victim of animal cruelty and the guy was prosecuted.

 

VB

[moabman]

As "romantic" as the Panther Junction story seems, I am highly dubious. Our (mountain) lions are real loners unlike the African lions. One thing that folks say about Big Bend is; "you might not see a panther during your visit but a panther has seen you"

[Frank S]

As "romantic" as the Panther Junction story seems, I am highly dubious. Our (mountain) lions are real loners unlike the African lions. One thing that folks say about Big Bend is; "you might not see a panther during your visit but a panther has seen you"

 

Well, the multi-panther tale would make a more exciting BlipToon, no?

[dh777]

Boy am I ready to go.....

 

I'm tired of this dirty old city.

Entirely too much work and never enough play.

And I'm tired of these dirty old sidewalks.

Think I'll walk off my steady job today.

 

Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of ____________.

And gimme all I got comin' to me,

And keep your retirement and your so called social security.

Big City turn me loose and set me free.

 

Been working everyday since I was twenty.

Haven't got a thing to show for anything I've done.

There's folks who never work and they've got plenty.

Think it's time some guys like me had some fun.

 

Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of ___________.

And gimme all I got comin' to me,

And keep your retirement and your so called social security.

Big City turn me loose and set me free.

[moabman]

Well, the multi-panther tale would make a more exciting BlipToon, no?

 

 

Seguro si'